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The Eater Mpls Heatmap: Where to Eat Right Now

by Claire Stanford
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by Claire Stanford

Restaurant obsessives want to know what's new, what's hot, which favorite chef just launched a sophomore effort, etc., and more often than not, tipsters, readers, friends and family of Eater have one question: Where should I eat right now? What is the "it" (ie, newest) place of the moment?

Thus, we offer the Eater Heatmap, which will change often to continually highlight where the food-focused crowds are flocking to at this very second. This time around, please welcome four new spots: Sonora Grill, Chef Shack Ranch, The Freehouse, and Hammer & Sickle.

Did we miss your personal favorite hot, new restaurant? By all means, let us know in the comments or email the tipline.


12/5/13: Added The Mill NE, Lake & Irving, and DiNoko's Bar Zia

11/7/13: Added The Rabbit Hole, Honey & Rye Bakehouse, and Umami Dim Sum

10/3/13: Added Seventh Street Social, Eat Street Buddha Kitchen, and Union Fish Market

9/5/13: Added Umami by Travail

8/1/13: Added: Ideal Diner, Town Hall Lanes

7/11/13: Added: Verdant Tea Tasting Room, The Buttered Tin, Terzo Vino Bar, Sandcastle

6/16/13: Added: Pig Ate My Pizza, Smoke in the Pit

5/2/13: Added: Potter's Pasties, Daily Diner Frogtown

4/4/13: Added: Spill the Wine, Origami Uptown, The Sample Room

3/7/13: Added: Rincón 38, Smack Shack, Burch Steak & Pizza Bar, One Two Three Sushi

2/7/13: Added: Parka, Blue Door Longfellow

1/3/13: Added: Borough, Parlour

12/6/12: Added: World Street Kitchen, Union

11/15/12: Debuted: The Lynn on Bryant, The Left Handed Cook, Fika, Icehouse, The Gray House, Nightingale, The Kenwood, Café Maude at Loring, New Bohemia

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Honey & Rye Bakehouse

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This new St. Louis Park bakery offers fresh-baked breads (both standards and daily rotating specials) and sweets, plus they should be adding soups and sandwiches to the menu soon.
4501 Excelsior Blvd, Saint Louis Park, MN 55416
(612) 844-2555
(612) 844-2555

Lake & Irving Restaurant and Bar

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Run by brothers Chris and Andrew Ikeda, this new Uptown spot features American food with Asian influences. Think: lobster tostadas and misoyaki salmon. Plus, brunch.
1513 W Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 354-2453
(612) 354-2453

Hammer & Sickle

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This new Russian-themed Uptown spot opened super-quietly over the holidays. Early word says you should stick to the vodka flights (vs. the overly sweet cocktails). There's also a couple different kinds of pierogi, and caviar flights, if you're feeling luxe.
1300 Lagoon Ave #150, Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 367-4035
(612) 367-4035

The Rabbit Hole

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The Rabbit Hole is the first full-on restaurant from the folks behind ever-popular Midtown Global Market Stand The Left-Handed Cook. Expect Korean street food with a twist (garlic soy wings, rice cakes with duck confit), as well as an extensive cocktail list (including kegged cocktails).
920 East Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN 55406
(612) 236-4526
(612) 236-4526

Sonora Grill

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The popular Midtown Global Market stand has just opened its first stand-alone restaurant in Longfellow, featuring the same beloved caramelos (basically tacos) and bocadillos (sandwiches), but with a pumped up small plate, entree, and cocktail selection. The early word is strong on this one.
3300 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55406
(612) 722-2500
(612) 722-2500

Also featured in:

Chef Shack Ranch

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This popular food truck has finally opened a brick n'mortar here in Minneapolis (their first brick n'mortar opened in Bay City, WI). They're bringing some meaty goodness to the vegetarian haven of Seward (think bison burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, and fried chicken), but there's plenty of veg on the menu, too. Plus, mini donuts!
3025 E. Franklin Ave, Mpls, Mn 55406

Union Fish Market

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Less than a year after opening, downtown's Union (known for its retractable rooftop) has launched another concept: restaurant-within-a-restaurant Union Fish Market. Located in the multi-floor restaurant's main floor, the Fish Market serves a wide variety of sustainably-sourced seafood, from lobster banh mi and shrimp corn dogs to razor clam crudo with buttermilk and peaches.
733 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403
(612) 455-6690
(612) 455-6690

The Freehouse

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This new North Loop restaurant/brewery from the Blue Plate restaurant group made national news for its $7 cans of Coors Light. But the house beers will set you back a reasonable $6/pint, and the all-day all-night (open 6:30 a.m. - 2 a.m. every day) features some tasty-sounding bites like bulgogi riblets and bison tartare.
701 Washington Ave N, Minneapolis, MN 55401
(612) 339-7011
(612) 339-7011

Also featured in:

The Mill Northeast

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This relaunch of the Mill City Café (which closed in May 2012) has got the same people, new location, and a slightly different name. With brunch and happy hour every day (from 3-6 p.m.), and a wide-ranging menu, this might be a new go-to spot in Northeast.
1851 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN
(612) 315-2340
(612) 315-2340

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Honey & Rye Bakehouse

4501 Excelsior Blvd, Saint Louis Park, MN 55416
This new St. Louis Park bakery offers fresh-baked breads (both standards and daily rotating specials) and sweets, plus they should be adding soups and sandwiches to the menu soon.
4501 Excelsior Blvd, Saint Louis Park, MN 55416
(612) 844-2555
(612) 844-2555

Lake & Irving Restaurant and Bar

1513 W Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55408
Run by brothers Chris and Andrew Ikeda, this new Uptown spot features American food with Asian influences. Think: lobster tostadas and misoyaki salmon. Plus, brunch.
1513 W Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 354-2453
(612) 354-2453

Hammer & Sickle

1300 Lagoon Ave #150, Minneapolis, MN 55408
This new Russian-themed Uptown spot opened super-quietly over the holidays. Early word says you should stick to the vodka flights (vs. the overly sweet cocktails). There's also a couple different kinds of pierogi, and caviar flights, if you're feeling luxe.
1300 Lagoon Ave #150, Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 367-4035
(612) 367-4035

The Rabbit Hole

920 East Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN 55406
The Rabbit Hole is the first full-on restaurant from the folks behind ever-popular Midtown Global Market Stand The Left-Handed Cook. Expect Korean street food with a twist (garlic soy wings, rice cakes with duck confit), as well as an extensive cocktail list (including kegged cocktails).
920 East Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN 55406
(612) 236-4526
(612) 236-4526

Sonora Grill

3300 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55406
The popular Midtown Global Market stand has just opened its first stand-alone restaurant in Longfellow, featuring the same beloved caramelos (basically tacos) and bocadillos (sandwiches), but with a pumped up small plate, entree, and cocktail selection. The early word is strong on this one.
3300 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55406
(612) 722-2500
(612) 722-2500

Chef Shack Ranch

3025 E. Franklin Ave, Mpls, Mn 55406
This popular food truck has finally opened a brick n'mortar here in Minneapolis (their first brick n'mortar opened in Bay City, WI). They're bringing some meaty goodness to the vegetarian haven of Seward (think bison burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, and fried chicken), but there's plenty of veg on the menu, too. Plus, mini donuts!
3025 E. Franklin Ave, Mpls, Mn 55406

Union Fish Market

733 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403
Less than a year after opening, downtown's Union (known for its retractable rooftop) has launched another concept: restaurant-within-a-restaurant Union Fish Market. Located in the multi-floor restaurant's main floor, the Fish Market serves a wide variety of sustainably-sourced seafood, from lobster banh mi and shrimp corn dogs to razor clam crudo with buttermilk and peaches.
733 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403
(612) 455-6690
(612) 455-6690

The Freehouse

701 Washington Ave N, Minneapolis, MN 55401
This new North Loop restaurant/brewery from the Blue Plate restaurant group made national news for its $7 cans of Coors Light. But the house beers will set you back a reasonable $6/pint, and the all-day all-night (open 6:30 a.m. - 2 a.m. every day) features some tasty-sounding bites like bulgogi riblets and bison tartare.
701 Washington Ave N, Minneapolis, MN 55401
(612) 339-7011
(612) 339-7011

The Mill Northeast

1851 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN
This relaunch of the Mill City Café (which closed in May 2012) has got the same people, new location, and a slightly different name. With brunch and happy hour every day (from 3-6 p.m.), and a wide-ranging menu, this might be a new go-to spot in Northeast.
1851 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN
(612) 315-2340
(612) 315-2340

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